Vibrating plunging machine



t- 1934- M. F. H. GOUVERNEUR VIBRATING PLUNG'ING MACHINE Filed May 10,1932 3 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 3.0, 1934. M. F. H. GOUVERNEUR VIBRATINGPLUNGING MACHINE Filed May 10, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 gwumtcw "Z 3 T 0uderpeu r Oct. 30, 1934.

M. F. H. GOUVERNEUR VIBRATING PLUNGING MACHINE Filed-May 10, 1932 sSheets-Sheet 5 gwoontoo laminated character of the clay mass.

Patented Oct. 30, 1934 PATENT OFFICE VIBRATING PLUNGING MACHINE Minor F.'H. Gouverneur, Baltimore, Md., assignor to Locke Insulator Corporation,Baltimore, Md., a corporation of Maryland Application May 10, 1932,Serial No. 610,451

7 Claims.

The invention relates-to apparatus for forming ceramic ware,particularly insulators, and has for its general object the provision ofa novel machine by means of which plastic clay may be plunged or shapedby pressure at the same time that rapid vibratory movement is imparted.

3 ;It is well known that clay such as is used in the production ofinsulators is worked in a pug mill from which it is extruded in the formof a 4km column subsequently cut into billets. These billetsare mauledand the material is then placed in the form, that is to say the femaleform member and taken to a-plunging machine where a rotary, andreciprocatory plunger acts upon the R715 clay for effecting shapingthereof. In actual practice it has been found that regardless of howmuch mauling may be resorted to the clay retains distinct traces oflaminations resulting from the action of the blades in the pug mill.When the 20 formed insulator dries there may be a tendency to warp andthis objection is even more noticeable during firing As a matter of factmany insulators are destroyedduringthese stages as the result ofinternal stresses brought about by the I have found that if plasticclaybe subjected to rapid vibration its. homogeneity and density are notonly improved but the laminated character is entirely broken down sothat when an insulator 3d isformed from clay previously subjected tovibratory action the tendency toward warping and breaking is greatlyreduced.

It is with the above facts in view that I have devised thepresentinvention which has for an important object the provision of a novelmachine by means of which vibration is applied to the claysimultaneously with the pressing or plunging, there being consequentlybut one step or operation so that the cost of production will "'46 be'keptas low as possible while obtaining the great benefits resultingfrom vibration.

Another object of the invention is to provide a. single machine by meansof which the above results may be accomplished, the machine beingadapted either to apply simply longitudinal pres- '50 means may beprovided directly associated with the spindle which carries the male diefor imparting vibration thereto irrespective or independent of othermeans which operates to effect reciprotoward or from the clay,

cation of this mechanism as a whole in a direction Another object is toprovide a construction of this character which will be simple andinexpensive to construct or assemble, easy to operate and control,positive in action, efficient and durable in service, and a generalimprovement in the art.

To the attainment of the foregoing and other objects and advantages, theinvention preferably consists in the details of construction and thearrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter more fully,described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings inwhich: I 1

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a machine constructed in accordancewith the invention,

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof,

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail view of the vibrating means, i

Figure 4 is a fragmentary View partly in elevation and partly in sectionshowing a modification.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, '1 have shown the apparatusas comprising a suitable supporting bench or stand 10 of any desireddetailed construction from which rise spaced vertical guides 11connected at the top by a cross bar 12 and carrying pulleys 13. Mountedon the cross bar 12 is a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder 14 having fluidpressure inlet pipes 15 at its end portions so that compressed air orthe like may be admitted to either end. Any suitable control valvemeans, not shown, may be provided for controlling the inlet and outletof fluid pressure to and from the cylinder.

The numeral 16 designates a carriage provided at its ends with guides1'7 slidable upon the uprights 11. The weight of this carriage and themeans carried thereby, which means will be later described, ispreferably counterbalanced and to effect thisI provide flexible members18 connected with the carriage in some convenient manner; trained overthe pulleys 13 and carrying weights 19. The carriage is equipped at itscenter with a bracket 20 to which is connected at 21 the lower 27journaled'through bearings 28 on the plat-' form and carrying a fiywheel 29. Between the bearings 28 is a guide 30 within which is mountedfor vertical reciprocation a spindle 31 having its lower end adapted tocarry a male die 32, the shape and size of which will necessarily dependupon the size of the insulator to be formed and the desired crosssectional configuration of the underside thereof, it being rememberedthat it is customary to form insulators in inverted position. This dieis intended to cooperate with the female die 33 which is mounted in anysuitable manner upon the bench 10 in vertical coaxial alinement with thespindle 31, the clay to be formed into an insulator being of courseinitially placed within the die 33 which is shaped to give the desiredcross sectional contour to what will be the top surface of the insulatorwhen the same is shaped. It is of course to be understood that thecarriage and all the mechanism thus far described is moved vertically byfluid pressure admitted to the selected end of the cylinder 14. However,it is intended: that the spindle 31 and die 32 carried thereby have arapid reciprocatory movement or vibration independent of the movement ofthe assembly as a whole. To accomplish this I provide a cam 34 on theshaft 27 operating within a sectionali species of'eccentrie strap 35which is located between thebearings 28 and which is pivotally connectedat 36 with the spindle 30. Clearly, when the motor 26 is energized andthe shaft 27 thereof rotated, the rotation of the cam 34 within theeccentric strap 35 will cause the latter and consequently the spindle 31and die 32 to vibrate up and very rapidly so that this vibratorymovement will be applied to the clay when it is compressed between thedies 32 and 33 upon bodily downward movement of the carriage and all theparts carried thereby.

the actof forming an insulator, it is of course to be understood thatthe clay is placed within the die 33 and the motor 26 set intooperatioii after which the air pressure is admitted to the upper pipe 15so as to force the piston 23, piston rod 22, carriage 16 and motordriven vibrating means downwardly so that the die 32 will come intocompressing engagement with the clay is thus given the desired shape.The vibration applied to the clay operates to compact the same" andrender it homogeneous and entirely free from the laminational tendenciesresulting from the action within the pug mill during the step ofmechanically kneading the clay as a preparatory step.

In some instances it is preferable to rotate the upper die in additionto reciprocating it with respect to the lower one and it is a simplematter to modify machine to incorporate this additional feature.

Referring to Figure 4 it will be observed that I have provided motordriven means for imparting rotation to the upper die while it is beingreciprocated. In this figure the numeral 37 designates a spindlecorresponding to the spindle 31 which may be vibrated in the same mannerand this spindle has pivoted thereto at 38 a sectional housing 39 formedwith a chamber 40 within which is accommodated a bearing 41 restrainedagainst movement therein and j'ournally receiving a spindle 42 whichextends through a platform or shelf 43 supported beneath the platform 25and carrying an electric motor 44. The shaft 45 of this motor carries abevel gear 46 meshing with a bevel gear 4'? splined upon the spindle 42.On the underside of this shelf 43 is a bracket 48 having a 1 bearing '49through which the spindle 42 is rotatable and slidable. A male die 50corresponding to the previously described die 32 is carried by the lowerend of the spindle 4:2 and coacts with the female member 51corresponding to the member 33.

It will be observed that the operation of this form of the invention isthe same as that of the first described form except for the provision ofthe motor driven gearing and necessary adjuncts for imparting rotarymovement to the die 32 while it is being reciprocated and vibrated bythe means above described in connection with Figures l to 3. Manifestlya rotating male die will have a greater compacting and smoothing actionupon the clay thanone that is simply reciprocated, that is to say thanone which is simply pressed into. place.

From the foregoing description and a study of the drawings it will beapparent that I have thus provided a very simply constructed andconsequently inexpensive as well as easily operated and controlledmachine by means of which insulators may be formed by the usual plungingprocess and at the same time given the benefits of the vibration.

While I have shown and described certain speci-fic details which may besaid to constitute the preferred embodiment of the invention it shouldbe understood that the disclosure is mostly an exemplification of theprinciples involved and that the right is reserved to make all suchchanges in the details and arrangement and combination of parts as willnot depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claimshereunto appended.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. In an insulator forming machine, a stationary support, a carriagemounted for reciprocatory movement thereon, mechanical means for movingthe carriage, a spindle supported by the carriage and carrying a die,means independent of said mechanical means for vibrating said spindle,and separate means for rotating the spindle.

2. In an insulator forming machine, a stationary support, a carriagemounted for reciprocatory movement thereon, mechanical means for movingthe carriage, a spindle supported by the carriage and carrying a die,mechanical means independent of said first named means for vibratingsaid spindle longitudinally, and other mechanical means for rotating thespindle.

3. An insulator forming machine comprising a stationary support providedwith guides, a carriage mounted for vertical movement along said guides,means for moving the carriage vertically, a spindle supported beneaththe carriage and carrying a die, mechanical means for positivelyvibrating the spindle in an axial direction, and other means forrotating the spindle, all of said means being mechanically operable atthe same time.

4. In an insulator forming machine, a stationary support, upstandingguides thereon, a carriage vertically slidable along said guides, meansconnected with the carriage for moving the same up and down, a supportmounted beneath the carriage, a spindle slidable through said supportand carrying a die, and motor driven means on said support for vibratingsaid spindle axially.

5. An insulator forming machine comprising a stationary structure,spaced upright guides thereon, a carriage slidable vertically along saidguides and equipped with counterbalancing means, means for moving thecarriage up and down, a

support depending from the carriage, a bearing structure on saidsupport, a motor on said support having a shaft journaled through saidbearing". structure, a spindle vertically slidable through said supportand carrying a die adapted to cooperate with a die on said supportingstructure,. a cam on said shaft, and an eccentric strap surrounding saidcam and pivotally connected with said spindle whereby the latter may bevibrated in the direction of its axis.

6. In an insulator forming machine, a stationary supporting structure,spaced upright guides thereon, a carriage slidable along the guides,means for moving the carriage vertically, a sup port depending fromthecarriage, a spindle extending through said support, means on saidsupport for vibrating said spindle axially, a second spindle mountedbeneath and in line with said first named spindle and carrying a dieadapted to cooperate with a die mounted on said supporting structure,and motor driven means for rotating said second named spindle.

7. In an insulator forming machine, a stationary support having guides,a carriage slidable along the guides, mechanical means for moving thecarriage along the guides, a spindle mounted in the carriage andcarrying a die, means for vibrating said spindle, and separate meansmounted on the carriage for rotating said spindle simultaneously withvibratory movement thereof and sliding movement of the carriage.

MINOR F. H. GOUVERNEUR.

